Conservative commentator Candace Owens has launched a fierce attack on French First Lady Brigitte Macron after facing a defamation lawsuit over her claims that Macron is a man.
Candace Owens has launched a blistering attack on Brigitte Macron as she faces a lawsuit over claims that the French first lady is a man, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The defamation lawsuit, filed in Delaware in July, has sparked a fierce response from Owens, who is now accusing the Macrons of launching a 'baseless' legal campaign to silence her reporting. In a detailed legal filing submitted on Thursday, Owens and her legal team argue that the Macrons' suit is a 'politically motivated' attempt to suppress free speech and punish an American journalist for commentary protected under the First Amendment.
'In contravention of a sacred precept of U.S. Constitutional Law, the President and First Lady of France… have filed a baseless defamation suit against an independent American journalist who broadcasts a daily news and culture show from her basement in Nashville, Tennessee,' Owens' legal team wrote in their response.
The lawsuit stems from an eight-part series aired between January and February 2025, in which Owens examined the Macrons' personal and political lives - including the First Lady's background, which has been the subject of unverified rumors online.
Owens claims that Brigitte, 72, was born under the name 'Jean-Michel Trogneux' and then transitioned to become a woman.
The series prompted the defamation complaint from the presidential couple, who allege the content harmed their reputation in France.
But Owens' attorneys argue that the Macron's suit is not about legal redress but rather about optics.
'The French president and his wife cynically avoided filing their Francocentric case in their home country,' the filing states.
'The reason is clear: this matter is not a legitimate legal action, but rather a transparent ruse orchestrated by Plaintiffs' high-priced public relations firm.'
Owens is now seeking dismissal of the suit on three primary grounds, lack of jurisdiction, expiration of France's statute of limitations, and the legal doctrine of forum non conveniens - which discourages litigation in a jurisdiction that has little or no connection to the dispute.
According to Owens' affidavit, she is a resident of Tennessee and has no business or personal ties to Delaware, despite her companies being incorporated there.
'Mrs. Owens is not, and never has been, a Delaware resident,' the filing states. 'She does not and has never owned real estate in Delaware… nor has she conducted business there.'
Owens operates her show, Candace, and all related journalistic activities from Nashville, where she employs a small team.
Her lawyers argue that any alleged harm from the broadcasts would have occurred in France - yet the Macrons chose not to file suit there.
'If the Macrons were serious about clearing their names or protecting their reputations, they would have filed suit in France within the applicable limitations period,' the response says.
'But legitimate vindication of their rights has never been the Macrons' intent,' the filing adds.
Owens claims the lawsuit is part of a broader campaign to intimidate her and shut down her reporting.
The recent filing alleges that the French couple launched a 'well-documented publicity campaign' against her, including 'public threats of litigation and other retaliatory actions.'
The filing also challenges the Macrons' decision to sue in Delaware.
